FROM THEORETICAL TO NORMATIVE LINGUISTICS

This is the written version of a talk given at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences on the role of current research in rejuvenating the traditional field of normative linguistics. While there can be several approaches to linguistic phenomena, a more thorough reliance on descriptive, theoretical, sociological, or statistic studies could certainly help eradicate extreme and unsubstantiated claims as to speakers' linguistic behaviour. It is suggested that the old ways of advising the public on usage should be supplemented by spreading the news of the amazing new achievements of various branches of linguistics in general, and in neurolinguistics and language technology in particular.